Staff Reports
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) appears set to keep his position after a motion to vacate was set to be voted on next week. However, reports have surfaced that some Democrats are now questioning whether they should have pushed harder for concessions before offering their support.
.@SpeakerJohnson has his head on a swivel as Democrats begin grumbling about cost of their support https://t.co/jw6qxxAcAb https://t.co/jw6qxxAcAb
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) May 3, 2024
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) had initially filed the motion in March and announced plans to force a vote on it next week. Despite House Democratic leadership indicating they would vote to table the motion, practically assuring Johnson’s safety, some Democrats are now expressing regret that they did not demand more in exchange for their support.
Representative Jamie Raskin (D-MD) stated that there is increasing pressure within the Democratic party to make use of their leverage and to ensure that their support is not taken for granted. Additionally, an anonymous House Democrat voiced the desire for “real” concessions from Johnson and expressed disappointment at the lack of evidence of any deal-making.
However, despite the internal debate among Democrats, a vote on foreign aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, as well as humanitarian aid to Gaza, was eventually passed last month after being delayed for several months. Many centrist Democrats argued that preserving Johnson’s position was necessary to maintain stable governance.
The outcome of the impending vote on the motion to vacate could have significant implications for Johnson’s future within the House GOP leadership, especially given the narrow majority held by the GOP. Some Republicans, including Greene, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), and Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ), have indicated their support for the motion, whereas others have either publicly backed Johnson or remained undecided.
Notably, Rep. Matt Gaetz’s successful motion to vacate then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in October received support from eight Republicans and all Democrats, ultimately leading to a prolonged process of electing a new House speaker.
